Run the Mile You're In: Finding God in Every Step

Run the Mile You’re In is not about winning races and setting running records. It’s about always moving forward. Moving outward is an act of courage. The reward is living the lifestyle and embracing the dream.

—Bart Yasso, newly retired chief running officer, Runner’s World

Ryan’s journey on and off the course is touching and a meaningful way to live by helping others. This is an uplifting book of joy and finding your sense of purpose.

—Meb Keflezighi, Olympic silver medalist; Boston Marathon and NYC Marathon champion

What I love about this book is that we get to know the real Ryan Hall. He talks about why it wasn’t just the training that was key to his athletic and life success but also his faith. To succeed in the world’s most competitive sport takes so much; Ryan explains it all in this fine new book.

—Bill Rodgers, four time Boston Marathon and NYC Marathon champion

Ryan examines and deciphers his well-lived life, and whether or not you share his deep Christian faith, there’s much to learn here. He says that he always strove to run free and to run hard. This book contains many lessons to help you follow the same path.

—Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon winner; writer, Runner’s World; author, Run Forever

I’m inspired by so many of the chapter titles in this book. Vision, because the genius is seeing it in the seed. Sacrifice, because we can accomplish anything if we are willing to accept the sacrifices involved. Failure, because we fail only if we don’t try. And Faith, because with faith, nothing is impossible. Ryan vividly drives home these and many other nuggets of wisdom.

—Dave McGillivray, DMSE Sports; Race Director, Boston Marathon

Ryan knows what it takes to be a champion. No matter what career you’re involved in or what your stage of life is, I guarantee you’ll be encouraged and equipped as Ryan helps you have the perspective and confidence to fight from victory and not for victory.

—Lon Williams, pastor, Liberty Church

I have deep admiration for Ryan and his approach to his profession and life. He does a great job of unpacking the big picture and yet being fully engaged in the mile he is in. Get ready to run the race of your life.

—Eric Johnson, author, speaker, pastor, Bethel Church, Redding, CA

This book will inspire you to chase bigger dreams, challenge you to rethink success, and invite you into a deeper relationship with God. Ryan shares with incredible vulnerability that we can draw nearer to God both on the mountain tops and in the valleys.

—Michael Chitwood, Executive Director of Church and Ministry Partnerships, World Vision

ZONDERVAN

Run the Mile You’re In

Copyright © 2019 by Ryan Hall

ISBN 978-0-310-35444-4 (audio)

Epub Edition February 2019 9780310354390

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Hall, Ryan, 1982- author.

Title: Run the mile you’re in : finding God in every step / Ryan Hall.

Description: Grand Rapids, Michigan : Zondervan, [2019] |

Identifiers: LCCN 2018052330 (print) | LCCN 2019004481 (ebook) | ISBN 9780310354390 (ebook) | ISBN 9780310354376 (hardcover)

Subjects: LCSH: Hall, Ryan, 1982- | Long-distance runners—United States—Biography. | Running—Religious aspects—Christianity.

Classification: LCC GV1061.15.H35 (ebook) | LCC GV1061.15.H35 A3 2019 (print) | DDC 796.42092 [B] —dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018052330

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org).

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Any internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Author is represented by the literary agency of The Fedd Agency, Inc., P.O. Box 341973, Austin, Texas 78734.

Cover design: Curt Diepenhorst

Cover photo: World Marathon Challenge

Printed in the United States of America

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This book is dedicated to my wife, Sara, for always believing in me and supporting me; to my kids, who have added so much joy to my life and will be the greatest legacy I could leave; to my extended family, who was on this journey with me through the ups and downs; to my friends who encouraged me along the way; and to everyone who is on the journey of discovering what God has put inside of them.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Mile 1: Vision

Mile 2: Purpose

Mile 3: Sacrifice

Mile 4: Goals

Mile 5: Failure

Mile 6: Positive Focus

Mile 7: Humility

Mile 8: Relationships

Mile 9: Identity

Mile 10: Belief

Mile 11: Success

Mile 12: Comparison

Mile 13: Celebration

Mile 14: Unoffendable

Mile 15: Pain

Mile 16: Faith

Mile 17: Worship

Mile 18: Declaration

Mile 19: Fearless

Mile 20: Love

Mile 21: Partnering

Mile 22: Victories

Mile 23: Seasons

Mile 24: Consistency

Mile 25: Closure

Mile 26: Victorious

Acknowledgments

I’d like to acknowledge Tom Dean, VP of Marketing at Zondervan, for reaching out to me to consider writing a book to share my story. Without his prompting, this book never would have happened. I’d also like to acknowledge my friend Pastor Matthew Barnett, who pastors the Dream Center in Los Angeles and took me on the craziest weeklong adventure of my life, and connected me with the wonderful people at The Fedd Agency to make this book become a reality. And to the wonderful staff at Zondervan, thanks for helping turn a runner into an author through some serious editing throughout the process. Writing a book is like running a marathon. There may be only one person out there running the race or writing the book, but there is a huge team behind that person, which makes all the difference. Thanks to my team who ran the race with me.

MILE 1

Vision

I remember the image vividly—the sparkling bright blue water of Big Bear Lake in the high mountain region of Southern California. Because I’d grown up in these mountains, I’d taken in this image often, but this time it was accompanied by a vision. I was a thirteen-year-old eighth-grade basketball player—one who seemed to be stuck at four foot eleven and ninety-nine pounds—and despite being one of the hardest workers on the team, I wasn’t seeing much playing time. But that didn’t keep me from enjoying being a part of the team and observing our weekly games from the sidelines. On this particular winter travel trip, the van was full of rambunctious junior high boy energy, the kind that would give most adults a headache, but I found myself tuning out the chaos and gazing at Big Bear Lake. It was as if all the commotion couldn’t penetrate my ears; all I could hear was God giving me a desire I’d never had before. I felt like He was giving me the aspiration to run around the lake. The desire wasn’t overly obvious; it was more as if I had an itch that could be relieved only by attempting the feat.

Looking back, I realize that my experience in the van was a God-inspired vision, though at the time it seemed like simply an idea that popped into my head. Like many boys, I’d grown up mad about sports and had played the big three American favorites: basketball, football, and—my biggest love—baseball. The son of a former drafted major league baseball player, I dreamed of one day following in my dad’s footsteps and getting drafted by a major league team. I spent a considerable amount of time pursuing this dream, tirelessly throwing a baseball into a green tarp with a painted white box that signified the strike zone. Always one to help me fulfill my dreams, my dad had created this pitching practice setup in our back yard.

Yet my vision in the van wasn’t about baseball. It wasn’t even about football or basketball. It was about running. This came as a surprise to me because I’d had zero interest in the sport. I’d been around 5K road races and had watched my dad compete in marathons, but I didn’t have any desire to run. Running seemed boring and, well, kind of pointless. Why would you choose a sport, like track, where you run around in circles as fast as you can only to finish in the same spot where you started?

Thankfully, though, I paid attention to the voice urging me to run around Big Bear Lake. But my vision wasn’t an easy one to live out. The only running I’d done was short sprints on the basketball court, the football field, or the baseball diamond. And here’s the kicker: it’s fifteen miles around the lake. Fifteen miles is challenging enough, but the lake is also at seven thousand feet altitude. The thin air at that elevation makes you feel like you’re breathing through a straw. Despite those obstacles, something about this crazy vision captured me.

It’s easy to dismiss the visions that pop into our minds, especially when they don’t seem to fit with the rest of our lives. I’d dreamed of becoming a major league baseball player, not a runner. And it was just a sudden desire I had—I want to run around Big Bear Lake. I hadn’t heard an audible voice from God. I hadn’t read anything etched in stone. I hadn’t received a prophetic word. But I felt a strong pull in my heart, a passion to do something I’d never before imagined, and so it seemed important to act on my vision.

It’s crazy how sometimes our smallest decisions turn out to have the most significant consequences. We spend hours and hours writing lists of pros and cons and seeking advice from friends, family members, and colleagues about the big decisions—where to go to college, whether to get married or have kids, which job offer to accept—but we rarely deliberate the small decisions. We tell ourselves that those little things don’t matter when actually they can be extremely important.

I’m not saying that the big decisions shouldn’t be carefully considered, but I’ve learned that we also shouldn’t dismiss the small ones, because these decisions can subtly change the trajectory of our lives. If I hadn’t acted on my God-given vision to run around the lake, I never would have had the opportunity to run at Stanford, meet my wife, compete on two Olympic teams, travel around the globe, and live out all the amazing experiences I’ve had as a result of running. And all of this came from a God-inspired seedling of a thought, one that I could have easily dismissed. I am so grateful I didn’t.

After that road trip with the basketball team, I shared my vision with my dad. I’m surprised he didn’t dismiss it right away as being crazy and not a good idea. Now that I’m a dad, I’m not sure I would have reacted the way he did. I would have been more likely to tell any of my four daughters that she should start with a smaller, more attainable goal. But that’s not how my dad responded. He simply told me that if I wanted to run the fifteen miles around the lake, he would run it with me. The more I look back on this, the more amazing his response seems. I tend to find myself wanting to give my kids advice and guidance, and there’s certainly a place for that in parenting, but sometimes I need to take the dad hat off and partner with my kids’ deepest desires. I need to say, If that’s what you want to do, let’s do it together. I’ve learned a lot about God as I’ve increasingly viewed Him as the ultimate Father. Jesus describes God that way when He talks about how on earth, evil fathers know how to give good gifts to their kids; therefore, how much more does God, who is in heaven, know how to give good gifts to His kids (Matt. 7:11)? As I think about how I want to grow as a good father, I realize that I am interested in what my kids are into, and I do everything I can to support and help them in their dreams and journeys. How much more must God be interested in the desires of our hearts and in our dreams, especially if He is the one who put those dreams there to begin with? I really believe that God is intensely interested in our hearts and all the desires and dreams that reside in them as He leads us to chase after them.

The following Saturday morning, without any preparation, I laced up my high-top basketball shoes—hours later, my bulging blisters showed me that basketball shoes are a little different from running shoes—and headed out the door with my dad for what turned out to be a very long and painful run around Big Bear Lake. Before beginning our journey, my dad and I completed some light stretching on our front porch, then Dad had me pump my hand into a fist and then flat as fast as I could for one minute to show me how strong my heart had to be to pump blood throughout my body my entire life. (If you want to try it, be ready for some serious cramping and pain by the end of the minute.) He had me do this to show me that running was a way for me to make my heart stronger. We then began the run with a walk, which became my custom throughout my running career, of about 100 meters as a way to warm the body up before beginning a slow jog. As a nonrunner, I understood that I was in for a major physical challenge, but I was not mentally prepared for it. I made it about six miles before we had to stop as we reached the dam and took a little time to watch some fishermen bait-fish in the deep blue waters. I’ve never enjoyed watching fishing so much in my entire life. I relished every second, hoping to postpone my run as long as possible. Starting back up after that brief break, my quads felt like jello, and I wasn’t even halfway there yet! I questioned whether I could make it the last nine miles. Luckily, I had already navigated the hilliest section of the paved, well-traveled road looping the lake. That was the only factor in my favor at that point.

Three miles later, we stopped at a liquor store to grab a cold Sobe to replenish my depleted body of hydration, sugar, and electrolytes. The icy, sugary, orange-carrot drink tasted divine in my fatigued and dehydrated state. Once again, it was challenging to start running again after taking a break. Yet somehow I found a way to keep putting one foot in front of the other, in large part because of my dad’s support. An avid runner who could knock off fifteen miles in half the time it was going to take the two of us, he never let on whether he was impatient or bored. My dad just stayed by my side offering encouragement after encouragement and telling me how great I was doing. I definitely didn’t feel like I was doing great, but hearing those positive words went a long way in helping me maintain a hopeful, confident belief that I would finish the full run.

Our last stop was with 1.5 miles to go. I was hurting worse than I had ever hurt in my life, and I can imagine that I looked even worse than I felt. My dad decided it would be good for me to take a little break and ice my legs in the frigid lake water, which must have been colder than 50 degrees in the winter. I didn’t care how cold the lake was; I had lost feeling in my legs miles ago. After icing our legs for about ten minutes, I shoved my blistered, battered feet into my basketball shoes, laced them up, and set off on the longest 1.5 miles of my life. I felt as heavy as an elephant. With every step, it felt like it took great strength and energy to lift my foot off the ground.

When we finally made it home, I was beyond exhausted. I remember stumbling through the front door and being faced with the runner’s debate: couch or refrigerator? I couldn’t decide whether I was more tired or hungry, but I ended up opting for the couch. In my exhausted state, I suddenly found it was a lot easier to connect with God. I didn’t have to go into my prayer closet and put earplugs in and beg God to let me hear His voice. It was more as if my immense fatigue had quieted my mind and all of the distractions around me and the only thing left was His voice. Until this point, I knew who God was. I occasionally spent a little time reading the Bible and praying, but I wouldn’t say I was conversational with God. But I discovered that when I am exhausted, I can more easily pray and—more important—hear His voice. Depleted from my journey, I felt God speak to the depths of my heart for the first time in my life. And what He told